Natural resources such as one of the world's few and largest deposits of potash are different than allowing a company to come in and build an airplane factory and teach what they know.

I don't think there is any country in the world which will allow you to come in and "buy" an oil field. They will hire you to develop it and sell you the oil but as far as I know no country will "sell" an oilfield. Natural resources are different, in my opinion. I think one could make the argument that potash is as or more important than oil.

The Chinese know how to operate in their own best interests, as you point out, and I applaud that. They don't have a messy democracy with lobbyists to contend with.

The question is do WE know how to operate in our own long term best interests? The record so far is not good. Much of the US and maybe Canada is available to the highest bidder, as long as the broker gets his cut.

Jim at Dawn